1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector and particularly to an electrical connector having grounding bridges.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrical connectors usually have guiding columns to be inserted into guiding apertures of mating connectors for guiding the electrical connectors to engage with the mating connectors and grounding bridges provided on the guiding columns for contacting with grounding members of the mating connector for Electro-Static Discharge (ESD).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,833 discloses in FIGS. 7 and 8 thereof a connector 10 comprises a pair of metallic grounding pads 17 each having a contacting portion 174 exposed from opposite ends of the housing 11 for electrically engaging with a shield 23 of a mating connector 20. The grounding pads 17 are inserted into cavities 128 of the housing 11 from a bottom face of the housing 11, and the grounding pads 17 are positioned in the cavities 128 by junctures 176 thereof upwardly abutting against blocks 125, 126 on opposite ends of the housing 11 and first feet 175 thereof pressing against an inner side of the shield 13 attached to an outer side of the housing 11. Sometimes, customers want electrical connectors with grounding pads thereof retained in other ways.
Hence, an electrical connector with improved grounding bridges is desired.
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having grounding bridges which can be reliably retained therein and which can assure an electrical connection thereof with a shield of a mating connector complementary to the electrical connector.
To achieve the above object, an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing having an elongated base wall and a mating wall projecting upwardly from an upper surface of the base wall and provided with a pair of guiding columns on opposite ends thereof, a plurality of terminals received in the housing, a metallic shield attached to an outer side of the insulative housing, and a pair of grounding bridges each having a body portion and a resilient arm extending upwardly from the body portion. Each guiding column defines a slot. A pair of notches are defined in the upper surface of opposite ends of the base wall. Each notch communicates with a lower portion of a corresponding slot. The body portions of the grounding bridges are retained in the notches and the resilient arms extend in the slots. The body portions of the grounding bridges electrically connect with the metallic shield from the upper surface of the base wall.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention and a mating connector complementary to the electrical connector;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the electrical connector of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the electrical connector of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the mating connector of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a front elevtional view of the mating connector of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the mating connector taken along line 6xe2x80x946 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector taken along line 7xe2x80x947 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 with the mating connector of FIG. 6 shown; and
FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, showing the electrical connector and the mating connector haven been engaged with each other.